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The Children's Book by A.S. Byatt
The Children's Book is set in the period between 1895 to 1918 and revolves a set of upper class families enjoying the creativity and privilege of the era. Olive Wellwood writes children's stories, including private books for each of her children. Together with the Fludds and the Wellwoods, they intermarry, creating bonds and rivalries that hide and expose dark secrets. As their children begin to choose new lifestyles, the War begins to tear at the fabric of their relationships. As the truths of the Wellwood family emerges, it's the children who are ultimately betrayed. A.S. Byatt's novel has received a Booker nomination and has received mostly positive reviews. The London Times says, "The panoramic quality of The Children's Book is achieved at some cost to brilliance of characterisation and narrative drive. Its success is as a novel of ideas, forcefully and often memorably expressed, while the story follows darkening fortunes into a chastened postwar world."
